Planning the next trip and want it to be EPIC!!

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hroark2112

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Going back to Bonaire in October. My first trip last year was good...this year's trip in May was very good...so I'm shooting for epic this time!! I want to come home from the trip exhausted, barely able to carry my gear to the plane. The group includes some pretty awesome divers, dive pros, instructors and instructor trainers, and we're going to be hitting the TDI tech week events.

To that end, I've planned a day with Bas Tol. I want to hit some of the very southern dive sites, like the one at the Lighthouse...go play in some of the heavy surf entries. We don't get to do that here in North Carolina, so I want to see if we can make it out (and back!) in the surf. A trip up north is also planned, maybe hitting Nukove and the like.

What else should we plan on to make the trip unforgettable? Most of us have been to the island several times, so we've hit the vast majority of the "must hit" sites for the casual divers. I'm probably less "risk adverse" than most people, I'd definitely be open to some off the beaten path locations.
 
Definitely. My 2 dives with Bas last trip were among the best of the week and the vis on the east side kind of sucked. Bas was apologizing for it...like he could control it or something!! He really sets out to make sure you see every obscure critter in the water.

I've heard mixed reviews about the diving in Washington Slagbaai park. Anyone have feedback on that?
 
we're going to be hitting the TDI tech week events.
Diving the Windjammer? Just one option - Walt at RecTek is another:
If you are a qualified technical diver, Dive Friends Bonaire offers the possibility to join one of our tech-dive instructors to discover the legendary Windjammer wreck. The Windjammer, otherwise known as the Mari Bahn, sank in 1912 and rests at a depth of 160 feet. The crow's nest and the main mast lie at a depth of 200 feet. This spectacular dive takes you back into the past. It is in a restricted area, and we need to apply for a permit in advance. For the permit, we'll need a copy of your passport, as well as a copy of your certification card showing that you are trained to go to 55 meters or more and trained for decompression procedures.
 
How difficult is the entry at Nukova and Carals Vision? heading down in a few weeks and have one diver that has a bit of a foot problem so we have to be mindful of the distance we walk and the terrain entering the water.
 
We didn't dive Carals Vision this year but as I recall access was pretty typical. The reef comes right up to shore though, with a channel out to the crest. We marked the exit with an smb at the reef crest so we could find that channel again.

At Nukove you can park next to the small rocky beach. You have to climb down about five feet from the parking lot to the beach though. It's not too bad because you can use the rocks to steady yourself on the way down. Of course any of the access points are significantly easier if someone else takes your gear out into the water. Maybe that's the way to go with your friend.

Scuba Shore Diving Site Page for: Nukove of Bonaire North, ABC Islands
 
Nukove is a difficult entry. There's a hunk of my leg around the entry! It's a great dive though....well worth the trouble.
 
Personally I think expecting an EPIC trip is asking for disappointment. I go with the idea that I will dive as much as I can, where I can, and enjoy everything I do and see. Expectation is nothing but premeditated resentment.
 
Going back to Bonaire in October. My first trip last year was good...this year's trip in May was very good...so I'm shooting for epic this time!! I want to come home from the trip exhausted, barely able to carry my gear to the plane. The group includes some pretty awesome divers, dive pros, instructors and instructor trainers, and we're going to be hitting the TDI tech week events.

To that end, I've planned a day with Bas Tol. I want to hit some of the very southern dive sites, like the one at the Lighthouse...go play in some of the heavy surf entries. We don't get to do that here in North Carolina, so I want to see if we can make it out (and back!) in the surf. A trip up north is also planned, maybe hitting Nukove and the like.

What else should we plan on to make the trip unforgettable? Most of us have been to the island several times, so we've hit the vast majority of the "must hit" sites for the casual divers. I'm probably less "risk adverse" than most people, I'd definitely be open to some off the beaten path locations.

Hit_It.JPG

Sorry... slow day at the office. :eyebrow:
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/peregrine/

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